Most photo recovery software is aimed at businesses, so you need to purchase it to use it properly, but PhotoRec (Opens in a new tab) is an open source alternative that combines its free price with solid functionality.
Its open source status doesn't just mean it's free. This designation means that people can view, access, and contribute to the development of the app.
I would be remiss to despise this app because of its free stature. In many key areas, the features of data recovery software mirror or even exceed the capabilities you'll find in high-end products.
PhotoRec: plans and prices
- It's Free: When it comes to affordability, it doesn't get any fairer than that.
It is an open source application, so it is free to use, just like TestDisk. In fact, if you download one, you will have the other included in the package. And don't expect different plans available elsewhere, as this is a feature set product.
If you use PhotoRec to restore your photos and want to contribute to the developer, there is a PayPal button for donations on the website.
PhotoRec: Features
- A very basic range of features, but with decent file format support
There's no way to avoid a particular elephant in the room when it comes to PhotoRec - it's not a beautiful or modern app. Load up this tool and you'll be greeted by an interface that looks like it should be at home in an older version of Windows. Almost all free and paid photo recovery apps look more elegant and sophisticated.
However, don't judge PhotoRec by its interface, and focus on the features. This application can recover files of almost 500 different formats, which is a wider range of support than some paid products offer. If you explore photography, you will find recovery capabilities for all consumer image files, RAW files, and files from major imaging companies such as Adobe, Olympus, Apple, Nikon, and Canon.
If you are not sure if PhotoRec can find your lost photo, there is an online scan tool that will tell you if this app can find the media. Go here to download another file with the same format and try.
It's a good start and PhotoRec impresses elsewhere. It works with hard drives, SSDs, storage cards, flash drives, and optical media, and works with many popular digital cameras. It also works with all major Windows and Apple file systems, and even the most popular Linux file systems. And, since it's open source, you can even download and compile the source code yourself if the system of your choice isn't officially supported.
The interface may not look like much, but it is relatively easy to use for anyone with a technical background. Load the photo recovery software and you will see a list of potential drives and devices, and you will need to choose a destination folder for all restored images. The scan dialog will be familiar to anyone who has run defragmentation tools in previous versions of Windows, and as the scan runs, you'll get a list of files that have been found and restored.
The app, however, loses thanks to its interface design. The initial list of drives includes all partitions, which can be difficult for non-techies, and most other applications don't require users to specify folders to store recovered photos. Don't expect much customer support either - there's a forum and FAQ, but that's about it. This is quite a hassle for home users and prevents PhotoRec from finding a home in a professional environment.
The scan is reasonably fast, but there's little help when it's done. You can click a link in the app to open your chosen folder or navigate to it yourself, but you only receive one directory of all recovered media. You'll have to navigate this yourself - you don't get the search or filter options that are normally available elsewhere.
Also keep in mind that PhotoRec doesn't have many other features that you might take for granted in more modern paid apps or free software. It doesn't have the high-end RAID or NAS capabilities found elsewhere, for example, and it won't try to repair images and videos. And unlike many other software providers, PhotoRec is not bundled with many other PC utilities.
In fact, the only other product made by CG Security is TestDisk. It is included with PhotoRec and is a utility for recovering and repairing hard drives and partitions. It is certainly useful, although it only works with a command line interface and is therefore only suitable for people with extensive technical experience; if it's not you, it's intimidating and incomprehensible.
PhotoRec: final verdict
There are many positives to take away from PhotoRec. It offers fast and efficient photo recovery in a simple interface for anyone with reasonable technical knowledge. Its open source nature means it's free, and a great option if you want to support this alternative method of software production and distribution. It works with many types of files, devices, and storage systems, making it extremely versatile.
The design ensures that PhotoRec is only suitable for people who consider themselves tech-savvy, and elsewhere this app doesn't have the capabilities you'll find in other tools, or the ease of use.
PhotoRec is a good image restoration tool for tech-savvy people who want to support open source motion or recover images from more obscure systems and devices, but beginners and people who need powerful additional features should look elsewhere.
PhotoRec: Scorecard
Plans and pricingFree and open source, no charge5FeaturesBasic tools offered2Generallyfast, efficient, and free, but limited functionality3Should I give it a try?
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